Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards

Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards commonly referred as BFJA Awards, is given by The Bengal Film Journalists' Association.[1] The BFJA is the oldest association of film critics in India, founded in 1937 to serve the developing film journalism and film industry.

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Members of the association are drawn from the film section of the entire press of West Bengal composed of dailies, periodicals and film journals in various languages published from Kolkata. Film correspondents and critics working for any newspaper or periodicals published outside Bengal having their base in Kolkata were also eligible to be members of this association.

The association was the first to institute awards in an endeavor to promote and encourage the production of better films, when in 1938, a year after its inception, the 1st Motion Picture Congress was held in Faridpur (now in Bangladesh). Representatives of the association played a vital role in its deliberations.

In 1952 when India staged the First International Film Festival, a large exhibition was held in Kolkata Maidan. It included an exhibit of antique movie cameras, projectors and other accessories, showing the growth of films and development of Indian film industry. BFJA had its own stall where it displayed its various magazines, periodicals and journals published from Kolkata, as well as copies of old magazines and journals on films tracing the history of growth of film journalism in the country.

Thereafter, when I.F.F.I. came on the regular circuit of International Film Festivals, BFJA has tendered active assistance and co-operation, whenever called upon to serve on any committee in the interest of making the festival’s success. For the last four years the association have been bringing out special bulletin to commemorate the I.F.F.I. and hosting reception to the visiting delegates.

To the members of BFJA cinema, apart from its basic function of providing clean entertainment, is a strong social, cultural and artistic force to help the progressive development of the nation.[2]